Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Fallen

New Orleans, 1880s. Sent to watch over the decadent city, the angel Gabriel loses himself in the liquid pleasure of absinthe. So when his mistress, Anne, is murdered—and all evidence points to him— a foggy Gabriel cannot be sure he didn't do it. His penance: to be forever denied love. Should he seek pleasure with a woman, she'll know the depths of despair.

New Orleans, today. Hoping to unlock that unsolved mystery, forensic scientist Sara Michaels, Anne's great-great-granddaughter, meets the ageless, tormented Gabriel. To work together would mean suppressing their mutual attraction—he can't allow himself to touch Sara, for her own sake.

And for Sara, already familiar with the dangers of addiction, Gabriel poses the ultimate threat to her self-control. But can the desire burning between them turn into their salvation—or lead them both to destruction?

There seems to be an influx of stories about romances with demons and most do not appeal to me. I find the very nature of demons an antithesis to love, trust and hope. I gave Fallen a try only because Erin McCarthy wrote it.

I’ve enjoyed her creative worlds in the past and her quirky humor. Fallen isn’t funny but it is a romance filled with heart, hope and a plot rich with details and fascinating characters. In short, I am very glad I took a chance on this story.

Fallen is a multi-leveled book that pursues a cold case from the past and a murder in the present. The current crime involves Sara’s mother and Sara is driven to, if not solve it, to at least find closure so she could move forward in her life. Ms. McCarthy has imbued Sara with very believable and fallible characteristics. I could imagine her as a real person. I found Sara easy to relate to and care for. Her character development through the story is full, intriguing and a joy to watch unfold, even when it hurts.

The healing starts with the first face to face meeting with Gabriel. He’s a man with a lot of secrets. For those romance readers who love a tortured hero and enjoy the twists and turns of redemption, then Gabriel is a character you could really fall in love with. I could almost feel his pain, his confusion and his burning desire to know the truth once and for all. It doesn’t hurt that he’s handsome and talented beyond belief. As least, you’d think so, but Ms. McCarthy has out done herself in sheer convoluted character development. I have no idea how she managed to keep straight all the many personality traits that made up Gabriel, but she did it and it’s pure genius.

Fallen is a multi-leveled book that pursues a cold case from the past and a murder in the present. The current crime involves Sara’s mother and Sara is driven to, if not solve it, at least find closure so she could move forward in her life. Ms. McCarthy has imbued Sara with very believable and fallible characteristics. I could imagine her as a real person. I found Sara easy to relate to and care for. Her character development through the story is full, intriguing and a joy to watch unfold, even when it hurts.

As for the villain of this book, I believe the reader is in for a treat. I find that I cannot reveal any of the many details for fear that I’ll rob you of the jaw dropping revelation when the owner of the vile deed is presented. Even if you think you might have it all figured out, Ms. McCarthy has ensured an ending where you don’t.

Fallen, Biblical references aside, is less about demons and more about the frailties of the human condition and our abilities to rise above them –even when we think all is lost.

Fallen is an intense story filled with a great unsolved mystery, a hero and heroine that you can relate to and root for, a romance of heightened sensual proportions and an HEA that satisfies on many emotional levels. The writing, for me, was tight, powerful and mesmerizing. The dialogue kept the story moving and the descriptions painted a clear picture of settings and scenes.

RATING EXPLANATION:

1 Star— At this time, we at LASR do not post these reviews. If the book was boring, badly edited, poorly written, had little or no plot, stilted dialogue, and/or unsympathetic characters, we will decline the review.

2 Stars— Not wonderful, but tolerable. There may be some minor editing glitches but not enough to stop you reading. Not a wall-banger, but nothing you'd re-read. This is a book you would borrow from the library - not buy - and never check out again.

3 Stars— Good. Mostly enjoyable. You made it through and didn't consider it a waste of time or money. The story was strong enough or the conflict tight enough, so even when the book faltered, it was able to draw you back in and keep you. There's a chance you'll recommend it to a friend, but it wouldn't go on your keeper shelf.

4 Stars— Very Good. You're glad you were the one who got to review the book. You would probably buy it and would definitely recommend it to your friends. You liked the characters and the plot. The writing style was good and the editing clean.

5 Stars— Great! You would definitely buy this book. You would definitely recommend it to your friends. You really loved the characters and the plot and would consider looking for this authors back list or making her an autobuy. The writing and editing were superb.

LASR Best Book - For a book or story that is truly exceptional. You think about it when you're not reading it. You wonder what happens to the characters when you finish. You would absolutely buy everything else this author had to offer. The highest praise - and reserved for only a few.

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